This invention relates to slidable and tiltable platform vehicle carriers of the type wherein the platform slides and tilts to provide a ramp for loading a vehicle thereon for transporting over the road, and more particularly to a disabling system for preventing the tilting of the platform until the platform has been slidably positioned to avoid interference with and damages to the carrier hold-down locking system.
In the art of recovering disabled vehicles use may be made of a truck or carrier vehicle having a slidable and tiltable deck or platform on which at least one vehicle may be loaded and carried.
Such vehicle carriers generally include a means for locking down the moveable bed or carrier deck platform when in the forward position to ensure that the structure does not freely or inadvertently tilt which would create a major safety problem when a vehicle is being transported. The locking occurs after the deck has been tilted to the horizontal position as the bed and deck are slidably moved forwardly to just slightly behind its forwardmost position and unlocked by sliding the bed and deck rearwardly to clear the locking position before it is tilted. In the known constructions a hold-down device in the form of a fixed latch block is disposed at the forward end of the bed and a cooperating member on the slidable portion of the bed is received beneath the block. Such an arrangement is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,282. Because of the heavy loads supported by the deck, the sliding and tilting are effectuated by hydraulic means such as hydraulic cylinders controlled by hydraulic valving. Occasionally, especially under circumstances where the operator is working under stressful conditions, or in inclement weather operators have inadvertently actuated the hydraulic tilt system to tilt the deck platform while the deck is in the forward position before it slidably has been driven rearwardly and also have tilted the deck platform downwardly at the forward position prior to it being slidably located beneath the locking device. In either case because of the forces involved the hold-down block may be severely damaged.